Brace or support



H. BROWN.

BRACE 0R SUPPORT. APPLICATION man FEB. 1,1920.

Patented July 12, 1921.v

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I I I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HUBARD BROWN, 0]? lB'U'IE'ORID, GEORGIA.

BRACE OR SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 12, 1921.

Application filed February 7, 1920. 'Serial No. 356,886.

nett and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Braces or Supports, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to supports for operators while picking cotton or performing other duties which require a stooping posture and the said invention has for its object the provision of novel means to brace the back and support the body and furthermore operating as an aid in assuming an erect posture;

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the details of construction, and in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully set forth and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail, retorence will be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification wherein like characters denote corresponding parts in the several views, and in which- Figure 1 illustrates a view in perspective of an apparatus embodying the invention; and i Fig. 2 illustrates a similar view illustrating the device in operation.

In these drawings 5 and 6 denote rigid stays or bars of proper proportion and material, with respect to which .the inventor does not wish to be limited.

Each of these members has a slot 7 in which a strap or band 8 is seated, the said strapor band being intended to encircle a leg oi? a wearer, one on each side of the body to hold the said members 5 and 6 approxi mately parallel with the leg of the wearer, but permitting some movement thereof. 7

A plate 9 is connected to each stay by a pivot 10 so that the plate is oscillatable with relation to the stay and the upper end of each plate is rigidly connected to a rod or bar 11. Each rod or bar 11 has a slot or aperture 19. near its upper end and a slot or aperture 13 near its lower end, the lower slots being intended to receive the belt 1% which encircles the waist of the user and being adjustable to fit people of different sizes. The slots at the upper ends of the bars have a belt or band 15 applied to them,

which belt or band is intended to encircle the user at the chest or just under the arms so that by the combined belts 14 and 15, the bars are rather rigidly connected to the operator.

It is preferable that the parts be so proportioned that the pivots 10 are on a line with the point where the back bends when the person is leaning over and the joint be tween the stays and the members 11 are such that free movement is afforded the user within certain bounds, but the said members operate and act as supports when a predetermined movement has been attained. With this object in view, the contiguous ends of the bars and stays are oppositely beveled as at 16 and 17, so that they come together and limit the movement of the bars with relation to the stays in one direction when a predetermined adjustment has been attained and when these parts are in contact,

they constitute supports for the body which will take the strain from the muscles of the back of the user. 7

As shown in the drawings, the plates 9 extend well below the pivots 10 and the degree or" this projection may be varied to suit particular requirements and to afford the proper leverage under the circumstances.

It will be seen that the lower end of each plate has a spring 18 connected to it and the opposite end of the spring is anchored to the stay as at 19 and these springs are intended to assist the user in assuming an up right position and they also serve to partially support the body of the user prior to the time the beveled ends of the'bars and stays contact.

The device is a great aid to those engaged in picking cotton or who have to assume a stooping position while doing work.

'I claim In a brace of the character described, stays, means for attaching the stays to the legs of a user, plates pivotally connected at the upper ends of the stays and having projections below the pivots, rigid members attached to the said plates, body encircling members carried by the rigid members, means for limiting the movement of the rigid members with relation to the stays, and springs connected to the ends of the plates and to the stays.

HUBARD BROWN. 

